Evidence of Insurance
A document proving that insurance coverage exists, which may take the form of a certificate, binder, policy declaration, or evidence form.
What It Is
Evidence of insurance is any document that proves insurance coverage is in place. While the term is sometimes used interchangeably with "certificate of insurance," evidence of insurance is actually a broader concept that encompasses several types of documents.
The most common forms of evidence include: the ACORD 25 Certificate of Liability Insurance, the ACORD 27 Evidence of Property Insurance, the ACORD 28 Evidence of Commercial Property Insurance, insurance binders, policy declarations pages, and auto ID cards. Each form serves a different purpose and is appropriate for different audiences — the ACORD 25 for contract compliance, the ACORD 28 for lenders, the binder for coverage confirmation before the policy is issued.
The form of evidence required is typically specified by the requesting party. Lenders usually require ACORD 27 or ACORD 28 forms. GCs and property managers typically require ACORD 25 certificates. Some parties accept a copy of the declarations page as evidence.
Why It Matters for Brokers
Providing the right form of evidence to the right party is a basic broker competency. Sending an ACORD 25 to a lender who needs an ACORD 28 wastes time and creates a poor client experience. Understanding which evidence form is appropriate for each situation allows brokers to respond efficiently to requests and avoid back-and-forth. Brokers should also understand the legal limitations of each form — evidence documents are informational and do not modify coverage.
Real-World Example
A commercial client closing on a $6M building acquisition needs evidence of insurance for three different parties: the lender needs an ACORD 28 showing $6M building coverage with mortgagee clause; the property management company needs an ACORD 25 showing $1M/$2M CGL with them as additional insured; and the client's attorney needs a copy of the binder for closing documentation. The broker must produce three different types of evidence from the same underlying insurance program within 24 hours to meet the closing deadline.
Common Mistakes
- 1Sending the wrong evidence form — such as an ACORD 25 to a lender who requires an ACORD 28 — causing delays and rework.
- 2Treating a binder as equivalent to a certificate when binders have specific legal implications and expiration terms that certificates do not.
- 3Assuming all evidence of insurance requests can be satisfied with a single ACORD 25 when different parties require different forms.
How brokerageaudit.com Handles This
COI Manager supports generation of all standard evidence forms — ACORD 25, 27, 28, and 75 — from the same verified policy data. It recommends the appropriate form based on the requesting party's role (lender, contractor, landlord) and stored requirements. All evidence documents are populated from Policy Checker-verified data to ensure accuracy across all form types.